Time cut-out for electric circuits.



No. 772,923; 1 PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904. E. F. GALLENDER.

TIME GUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED 10110.10. 1900.

NO MODEL.

UNITED v STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT @EETQE.

TIME CUT-OUT FOR ELECTFHC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,923, dated October 25, 1904. Application filed December 10, 1900. Serial No. 39,295. (No model.)

To ntZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. CALLENDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time Cut-Outs for Electric Circuits; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatically-operated switches for controlling electric circuits, particularly those including electric lamps used for display and advertising purposes, which lamps are usually kept burning after business hours, the object of the invention being to automatically cut out lights left burning for such purposes at a predetermined time, thus avoiding the annoyance, expense, and possible neglect of personal service for such work.

I shall now describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art may manufacture and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a rear side view of an alarmclock provided with my improved switch-operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is adetailed perspective view of the alarm-winding spindle and the switch-operating mechanism.

In the drawings, 2 represents an ordinary alarm-clock mount-ed on a base 3 by supports 4 and having the usual time Winding and setting shafts 5 and 6 and the usual alarm setting and winding spindles 7 and 8, respectively. Mounted fixedly on the alarm-winding spin- 'dle or arbor 8 is an arm 9. Slidably connected with the arm 9 is a link 10, pivoted at its lower end to the free extremity of a pivoted knifeblade switch-lever 11, said lever making electrical connection when closed between the binding-posts 12 and 13 for the electric-light wires.

The operation of the device is as follows: The alarm is set in the ordinary manner by the alarm-setting shaft 7 at the hour at which it is desired that the lamp or lamps in circuit with the switch shall be extinguished. Then the alarm-winding arbor 8 is turned by means of the arm 9, and through the medium of the link 10 the switch-lever 11 is forced down into the slot in the top of the post 13, closing the circuit. The switch-lever and the other parts will remain in this position until the alarm mechanism is set 03 at the hour set. The release of the alarm mechanism permits the shaft 8 to rotate and to resume its normal unset position. The rotation of the shaft turns the arm 9 and pulls up the switch-lever 11 by means of the link 10, breaking the circuit and extinguishing the lights. The two positions of the parts are indicated by dotted and full lines in the drawings.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent. It is simple,eflicicnt, not liable to get out of. order, and quite inexpensive, the latter resulting from the ability with its use to employ without material alteration the ordinary alarm-clock of every-day use,.whereas heretofore specially -constructed clockwork mechanism had to be employed for such purpose.

It will be obvious that my invention is not limited in its application solely to electriclighting circuits, since it may be employed with equal advantage wherever it is desired in electric appliances to break the circuit at a predetermined hour without manual intervention. It will also be obvious that by achange in the position of the parts the mechanism may be utilized to make instead of break the circuit.

I claim- 1. In combination, the alarm-winding arbor of an alarm-clock, a rod transversely and fixedly connected to and rotating with said arbor, an electric switch, and mechanism positively connected to said transverse rod and the movable member of said switch, whereby when said arbor is rotated to wind the alarm I mechanism said rod is rotated and said mecl anism is operated to positively move said switch member so as to open or close the switch, and when the alarm mechanism is released at the hour set a reverse positive movement of said rod and said switch member is eifected; substantially as described.

2. In combination, the alarm-winding arbor of an alarm-clock, a rod transversely and fixedly connected to and rotating with said arbor, an electric switch, and a link pivotally connected to said transverse rod and to the movable member of said switch, whereby when said arbor is rotated to wind the alarm mechanism said rod is rotated and said mechanism is operated to positively move said switch member so as to open or close the switch and when the alarm mechanism is released at the hour set a reverse positive movement of said rod and of said switch member is etl'ected; substantially as described.

In combination, an alarm-clock having an outwardly-extending alarn'i-winding arbor, a rod extending transversely thereof and rigidly connected thereto so as to rotate with said arbor extension, a movable member of an electric switch, and a link pivotally connected to said switch member and pivotally and slidably connected to said rod, so as to positively move said switch member to open or close the switch; substantially as described.

at. In combination, an alarm-clock having an outwardly-extending alarm-winding arbor, a rod extending transversely thereof and rigidly connected thereto so as to rotate therewith, the lever of a knife-blade switch, and a positively downward to establish the circuit through said switch, and when the arbor extension is released by the alarm mechanism of the clock at the hour set the end of said lever will be elevated through the same instrumentality and the circuit broken.

5. In an electric-lighting system, in combination a knife-blade electric switch to which the wires of the lighting-circuit are connected, an alarm-clock having an outwardly-extending alarm-winding arbor, a rod extending transversely of said arbor extension and rigidly connected to the same so as to rotate therewitlnthe knife-blade lever of said switch, and a link connected to said lever and pivotally and slidably connected to said rod, whereby when said alarm-arbor extension turned for winding the alarm mechanism of the clock said link will be moved so as to force said lever positively downward to establish the circuit through the switch and when the arbor extension is released by the alarm mechanism of the clock at the hour set the end of said lever will be elevated through the same instrumentality and the circuit broken, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDlVlN F. CALLENDER.

\Yitnesses:

(1. 1t. DDIMITT, \VM. F. PACKARD. 

